Stranger in 10 years
by sleepserum
Summary: I've waited for ten years for you to come back, you came back.


**Stranger in 10 Years**

Written on: 05/16/19  
Posted on: 05/17/19

* * *

**I.**

Ten years, it had been ten years since then. Sonoko smiled at the photograph that stood differently from the rest of the photographs, its frame was old fashioned and there were childish engravements by the sides. It was a photograph of her ten years ago when she was still in high school, a photograph of her and the man she loved, Makoto Kyogoku. Although she was recommended by her mother to have the frame changed she kept denying it because no matter how old, there was no way she would have the heart to change it, it was, after all, the frame he had chosen for her, the frame that both of them carved their names on (although with difficulty), it was a frame they both shared memories with.

She could only look at that sole photograph for every other photo frames were a blur to her, no matter how long it took these other images held not even a single significance in her heart. A bitter smile drew on her lips, "Nothing, I still feel nothing." Only one photograph mattered to her, everything else could get lost and she wouldn't even dare look for it.

Then, not before long, a familiar voice echoes from the other side of the door.

"Honey, it's time to go and meet father!" His voice, a hint of roughness, but nonetheless gentle and even surging with endless warmth.

Sonoko smiled and looked over at the closed wooden doors, she was lucky, truly lucky indeed to live a life tied to this man.

She stood up from her seat, passing by another line of photographs of her in a white, frilly and puffy wedding dress along with a man beside her who wore a matching white and elegant tuxedo, he had jet black hair and fair skin and maroon colored eyes, very intricate his eye color was, he was a few inches taller than her, just the right height gap for Sonoko to swoon over for.

"Coming!" She giggled then hurried out of her old room then follow her husband out.

**II.**

It took her seven years before she declared to her parents that she had stopped waiting for her _boyfriend _to come back from a tournament, and it had been three years since she had been married to another man from her mother's choices. Expectedly enough they had assumed Sonoko to react violently to be married off to another money grubber however she did not, she had only looked over the folder, read the family history and then closed it and simply smiled, _"I don't mind." _

Her father was, of course, worried at his daughter's lack of fiery enthusiasmーusually she would begin slamming her fists on the table and aggressively declining whatever arranged marriage there was but, of course, he knew, he knew the exact reason why his daughter had grown somber over the past few years. This was the aftermath of a heartbroken woman. Her mother, on the other hand, felt the slightest guilt, she, too, knew of her daughter's situation but she could not help but also take into consideration that state of the Suzuki corporation. She could not let herself be distracted and so hurriedly she arranged for her daughter and the arranged suitor to meet.

It did not take long for Sonoko to immediately be infatuated with his good looks, but it was a habit of hers anyways. Then by the end of the meeting, she had decided that the day of the wedding can be held anytime fitting for her soon-to-be husband. She wore a girlish grin, her cheeks flushedーafter all, it is a woman's greatest dream to get married one day.

The male, despite his cold and calculative profile, blushed at his soon-to-be wife's affection. He did not expect for it to go well but he was glad that despite it being arranged it seemed to have a bright outcome nonetheless.

Sonoko could not even dare to her despair, she had to wear a mask, show a facade that everything was all right and that she had finally moved on from waiting. After all, she had been waiting for seven years, it must come to an end. Had he given even the slightest sign that he thought of her, she would wait and waitーbut not a single text, not a single mail, not a single callーnone. Even her gifts went ignored, there was no response from him at all and so she had accepted that the man she loved and thought to have loved her the same shattered in her mind, he had ghosted her and left for good.

At first, she was enraged, she would go to wherever country he was in and beat him to a pulp but then time and time again it repeated until it was the fifth year. SHe needed an answer, she had heard that the Karate tournaments have finished and so there was a chance that Makoto would finally come back. She sent hi ma message.

_I'm two streets away Cafe Poirot at 8 PM. Whether you come or not it's both going to relieve me of my unresolved feelings. If you aren't able to come but wish to, please reply back to me. _

_If you truly wish to end it all, this is it. Don't come, I won't hold it against you. _

_Thank you, Makoto-san. _

And although she held a slight hope that this was all just a mishap in time that Makoto truly wanted to come back but couldn't the past five years, Sonoko gave him the chance, the open chance to relive their love. Sonoko waited, stood by the streetlight, it had been two hours past eight and yet still no sign of the person she wanted to meet. It was already ten but she'd wait until the day was over.

She had begun to cry, she couldn't even dare to look at her watch because she with each passing second there was going to be no hope. Moreso she could not dare to look at her phone because for the past two hours there had been no vibrations which meant there was no response to her text message.

Then two hours more, the clocks struck midnight and she smiled.

_Farewell, Kyogoku-san _.

**III.**

Five years of radio silence, on the fifth year it had confirmed that Makoto would never come back to her. Then she had hoped, she was never going to give up just yet. She gave it two more years, quietly so, in hopes there was a chance encounter to find him again. But in the seventh year, it was proven final. Then she had no choice but to finally accept her fate, accept this marriage and move on with her life. Three years later and she was married to Akihiro Tohoten-Suzuki. Their marriage wanted to provide equal rights to both their companies and so Akihiro and Sonoko agreed to have both their surnames listed. Her mother could have cried at the decision, she had worried that her daughter would have been under her new husband due to the laws of hierarchy in power but thankfully this was the right man of choice.

And now is the tenth year, she still has not forgotten about her love, but she had long stopped hoping for a future with him. Even if he were to return, she could not dare abandon this life she has built, the power and flourish both corporations of the Tohoten's and the Suzuki's were far too powerful for her to ditch just for the sake of reuniting with a love she's waited for years. She could love another, she truly could, but she could not hope for anything more but to love from a distance.

**IV.**

"Sonoko, are you alright, you've been staring quite a long time at the cat?" Akihiro noted, his voice doused in the gentlest concern, his brows furrowed and eyes clear of any ill intention.

Sonoko snapped out of her daydream and chuckled, waving her hand dismissively then intertwining it with her husband's, "Just a lot on my mind, you know?" She was lucky and truly blessed to have been wedded to such a kind man.

He nodded, "I understand, but if you feel strange please don't hesitate to tell me, I'm a doctor." his tone turning more serious.

His wife could only laugh and slap him by the shoulder lightly, "You worry too much, but I'm fine, now let's go, go, go! I think papa might murder us for being late!"

"Butー"

"Yes, yes, it's my fault don't worry papa will understand, hehe!" She said, springing back to her enthusiasm as she tugged on her husband's arm to go to the car.

It was an almost perfect life.

And so the car drove towards the airport, they might miss their flight soon.

As the car grew distant from the entrance gates of the Tohoten-Suzuki estate, the cat who sat idly and stared at Sonoko began to move away.

**V.**

_Hurry, hurry…! I have to hurry! _

Footsteps were light despite the weight of its owner and the speed he was using. Bags slung over his shoulder as he frantically looked around the sea of people; there were shots of suspicious glances to him as he was the only one hurrying whereas the others were calmly walking to their respective destinations in mind. His heart raced and his sweat accumulated and dripped despite the strong air conditioning in this place. His fingers twitched and his teeth clenched, eyes wide as if it would help in finding the person he had longed to meet.

It has been ten years, ten years of radio silence. And he knew the grave situation he was in.

Eight years ago he had lost his phone and he had almost punched an innocent man out of frustration because of it, he had not contacted Sonoko six months prior to his phone getting lost and he could tell that his love was worrying already, maybe even anxious that he was not responding to her messages. He had no idea how to contact Sonoko and all he could hope for was that she would wait for him.

Three years after he had finally finished his tournament and he decided to return back to Japan in hopes to find her and relieve her of her worries. That he was there and he would come back to her.

However, his flight delayed.

When he had come back to Japan it was already the day after, he rushed to his own residence and saw that his phone was left in his room all along. He immediately looked through his text messages, inwardly beating himself at the massive number of unread emails and missed calls but he paid attention to the latest one.

His eyes widened.

_I'm two streets away Cafe Poirot at 8 PM. Whether you come or not it's both going to relieve me of my unresolved feelings. If you aren't able to come but wish to, please reply back to me. _

_If you truly wish to end it all, this is it. Don't come, I won't hold it against you. _

_Thank you, Makoto-san. _

It was a moment that would decide his relationship with her, the moment that would either end it all or continue it. He immediately tried to call her, it hadn't been too long after that, right? It was just eight hours past the mail's meeting time, maybe there's a way to salvage this.

_The number you have dialed has been disconnected. _

And the intercept message repeated again and again. It can't be that she has changed her number. It can't be!

He immediately ran to the Suzuki estate but the moment he arrived it was just a massive land, there was nothing. He went to the Mouri Detective Agency, a place he was familiar of, yet the place had been shut down two years ago and that Mouri along with her daughter had moved somewhere else and reconciled with his wife.

There was no one, utterly no one that he could ask for for help. For the first time in his life, he had been committing mistake after mistake, he had never been one to be like this.

_"Sonoko-san… Sonoko-san, where are you…?" _

Then, five years after. He had never stopped trying to find her, not at all. Although he had heard of this woman on the news, it was impossible to be her, her surname was Suzuki, not Tohoten.

He finally returned to Japan after announcing that he was going to take a break from competitions, he rushed back to Japan, he was going to find her no matter what.

He politely, or at least attempted to, pushed the people blocking his path, he was sure she was hereーhe caught a glimpse of familiar light brown hair and her eyes! Her eyes, he knew them so well. It had to be her, and perhaps she had heard of his announcement and came to welcome home, maybe and finally they could reunite and stay together. His heart felt like it was palpitating, he might just faint at the rush of thoughts. He couldn't help but smile as if his heart was screaming, _yes, yes, you're near, you're close to her! _

Then he found a certain familiar imagery.

There was a lone woman sitting by a line of empty seats, her hands calmly clasped together over her lapーone hand over the otherーas she looked at the scenery outside a solemn expression on her face. It had been ten years since then, she almost looked like a stranger but she was not, she was the love of his lifeーshe had grown old, but so has he. Her hair was still straight although a bit longer, her expression was more relaxed and had lost the bright brimming energy, she was more of the calm Sunday afternoon rather than the boisterous Monday mornings.

"Sonoko-san… Sonoko-san…!" His voice had grown deeper, he could wear it might break any moment. He walked up to her.

His heart was going to leap out of his chest any moment now.

**VI.**

_His voice… his voiceー__could it be?! _Sonoko felt warmth rush to her cheeks, her vision growing blurry as she turned her head then the sight of a familiar tanned man came to sight. A surge of mixed emotion fueled inside her heart, she stood up from her seat, her legs wobbling and her head dizzy from the instant movement, _it can't be…! _

"Makoto-san…?" Sonoko's voice was small, it was almost hesitant to even utter a name she'd so long haven't said.

"Sonoko-san…! Sonoko-san, I came back! I… I!" As soon as he was finally a few steps away from her, he held her hands, "I tried to find you, for the past eight years, always have, ever since I lost my phone I couldn't contact you, then five years ago you changed your number and moved away, I didn't know where you were…! Sonoko-san, I came back!" Makoto had never spoken this fast nor had he ever spoken so much, there were far too many emotions in his words they were all spilling out.

But perhaps the tables have turned because this time, while he was the one running his words, Sonoko was the one who fell quiet.

"Sonoko-san…?"

"Thank you, for coming back butー" Her eyes, though there held so much love, it was suppressed, her gaze was focused on him yet it was distant.

"But whー"

Makoto was to say something when another man came to view.

"Sonoko, darling?" A voice unfamiliar to him, a voice so full of love and affection had called out to the one he loves.

Sonoko immediately shook herself away from Makoto's grasp, once free, the man held Sonoko's arm, worry evident in his expression. Makoto could only watch in horror and utter defeat at the scene unfolding before him.

"Darling, who is this man?" He asked, there was not even a hint of ill intent in his tone, simply just curiosity and worry for the welfare of Sonoko.

Sonoko smiled and shook her head, "An old friend of mine," she paused then intertwined her fingers with Akihiro's. "Darling, meet Makoto Kyogoku, he's a martial artist and he's been unbeaten ever since!" Sonoko began, her praises as full as ever causing the martial artists to blush the slightest out of habit, as she introduced her husband to the other.

"Kyogoku-san,"

That was where his world broke and he was sucked back into reality.

_Kyogoku-san _.

"Meet my husband, Akihiro Tohoten-Suzuki." Sonoko finished, but Makoto does not overlook the slight hesitation the moment her lips spill the other man's lips, the slight bittersweet smile that drew on her expression and the way her eyes gazed at him with longing and betrayal as if to say, _why? _

"Ah, nice to meet you, Kyogoku-san," The man, Akihiro, bowed, "what a small world we met here, anyways, darling we have to go soon." He said with urgency as if worried, "Father might get impatient, you know how he is."

Sonoko huffed then waved her hand dismissively, "Yes, yes, I know, I know, still quite a wonder how you have the patience of Buddha whereas your father's patience is nearly nonexistent!" She quipped, "I'll be there soon, can you give me around five minutes? I wanted to talk to my friend first before we leave it's been a long time." She said, her gaze softening.

Akihiro nodded, "Alright, we're at Gate 7." Not before long Akihiro kissed his wife on the cheek then left.

Makoto stood quietly, it was as if he didn't exist in front of them.

"You..."

"Yes, I'm married, Makoto-san." She said with a smile despite the bitterness in her tone.

"Are you… happy?" Makoto's words felt like a double-edged sword.

There was silence from Sonoko, "Not as happy as when I was with you."

"Sonoko-san..."

"I waited," She cut him off, her gaze never daring to stray away from Makoto's, "I wanted to be like Ran, you know? To wait even if there was not even a single call, I waited for seven years before I got marriedー" Makoto was about to say something when Sonoko continued, "No, it was against my will, it was arranged,"

"Thenー!"

"Mm-mm," She shook her head, "it was fine, how am I to know, right? That night, five years ago, I waited under the lamp post, I waited even the day after, for you. But you never came. I still waited even two years after for a mail or any sign, but I knew it was futile, I had to take responsibility, I'm a Suzuki after all."

Makoto felt the urge to rip his skin apart, he would disembowel himself right in front of her as a way to repent but he knew it was not going to change the fact that the one he loved now belonged to another man.

"You know, I almost wanted to put myself in danger just so that maybe… maybe you'd come and rescue me, haha," then tears began to well up and streamed down her face, "how foolish, right? I hoped that maybe I'd hear the sound of bodies falling unconscious then I'd see you walking towards me then pull me away from danger just like before." Sonoko couldn't suppress it anymore, her words choked up and she let her heart scream her misery. "Makoto-san, why…?"

Makoto fell silent, there was nothing he could respond.

_Why? _Why indeed? Why did he never call her, try harder? Why did he never contact anyone else to reach Sonoko? Why did he even return in hopes she'd be waiting, was that not selfish? It was utterly selfish that he had expected her to be waiting until now. After ten years of silence, it should not have been a surprise that she had left and jumped in the arms of another man. But that was his mistake, she had never leaped to the arms of another, she had no choice but to move on. Makoto gritted his teeth, his hand reaching hers once more, the act had caused Sonoko's eyes to widen in surprise.

"I love you, Sonoko-san, and I always will, will you marry me?" It was now or never, and if she still loved him then…

Now she couldn't even look at him. The words she had longed to hear, the words she had always wanted to hear from this man, she finally heard itーbut it was too late.

Sonoko looked away, her words shaking, "I'm sorry, Makoto-san, but I'm… I'm married now and I have a position and corporation to look after… and… Akihiro is a good man, you know? It'd be selfish of me to break his heart."

Makoto's expression was one of evident hurt, he was not one with such a transparent face yet now everything unfolded.

Sonoko chuckled, her gaze falling to their hands holding each other's, it was almost as if their hands ached to hold each other againーshe's never felt so safe in someone' else's warmth. "It's funny, after ten years I finally saw you, and yet it seems like we're now strangers of each other's lives. Perhaps it's better that way." She lied, she ached to get into the depths of Makoto's heart, she wanted to be a part of his life, she would run away and elope with him, she would… sheー_stop _.

"Goodbye, Kyogoku-san."

**VII. **

She turned her heels, not even sparing another glance at Makoto as she eventually became too far for the male's vision to see.

_Run after her! Catch her! _

Makoto felt his own tears finally well up, his face heating up, no longer from bashful affections but in utter and whole misery. It was an indescribable sense of sadness and guilt overwhelmingly swallowing his heart. A nauseatic feeling welling up from the pits of his stomach as if acid rising up to his throat and lungs lacking any sort of air. His legs felt numb as he felt his vision blur.

"Sonoko-san… I came back." Words muffled from his tears as he stood at the waiting area alone. "Sonoko-san..."

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed, it was pretty quick but I hope it was fine, leave a review if you'd like ^^


End file.
